Schwarzenegger Vetoes DREAM Bill for Immigrant Students

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Late Saturday, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger issued a series of vetoes on various bills — and in so doing dashed the hopes of student activists who have been pushing to make it easier for undocumented students to obtain financial aid and to pressure publishers and faculty members into changing practices that some believe contribute to the high price of textbooks. At the same time, Governor Schwarzenegger signed another bill on textbooks, favored by publishers and opposed by student groups.

 

Last year, when Schwarzenegger vetoed legislation that would have allowed some undocumented students to apply for state financial aid, he cited the fear that these students might be competing for limited aid funds with students who are legal residents of California. So this year, sponsors of the bill specifically excluded programs that have limited pots of money, and proposed that the idea apply to aid — like community college tuition waivers — that is not awarded competitively. Advocates for immigrant students hoped that that change would make a difference and held rallies around the state on behalf of the bill.

 

But the governor’s position didn’t change. In his veto message this time, he didn’t cite competition in specific aid programs for dollars, but competition for the state budget. “At a time when segments of California public higher education, the University of California and the California State University, are raising fees on all students attending college in order to maintain the quality of education provided, it would not be prudent to place additional strain on the general fund to accord the new benefit of providing state subsidized financial aid to students without lawful immigration status,” he wrote. Schwarzenegger noted that under existing law, many of these students are already entitled to in-state tuition rates.

 

Supporters of the legislation noted that there are about 25,000 students who graduate from California high schools each year without documentation to stay in the United States or the right to federal student aid that is essential for many low-income students to afford tuition and other expenses. State Sen. Gilbert Cedillo maintains on his Web site stories from such students about the difficulties they face paying for college. He and others have argued that these high school graduates will stay in the state — and the only choice for California is whether to help them prepare for good jobs.

 

The vetoed legislation is known as the DREAM Act, modeled on other state bills and a federal bill whose acronym stands for Development, Relief and Education for Alien Minors. (Democrats in Congress are hoping to attach the federal bill to other legislation, but have been stymied of late in doing so.)

 

With the issue attracting attention nationally, political figures outside of California have jumped in. Sen. Barack Obama, in a presidential campaign stop in California last month, said that failing to sign the bill would “compound the immigration crises by driving thousands of children who are on the right path into the shadows.” But conservatives have been urging the governor to veto the bill.

 

Pro-DREAM groups were quick to criticize the veto and to vow to bring the bill back next year. “The governor has just bowed to the racist wing of the Republican Party. California needs a larger and more diverse workforce to prosper and we can’t continue to relegate Latinos to second class status,” said Yvette Felarca, Northern California coordinator of the Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration and Immigrant Rights and Fight for Equality By Any Means Necessary.

 

Well at least he vetoed this insane legislation. Who in the fock ever came up with this idea to give Illegal Aliens ANYTHING????? This shiat is outrageous.

 

If the illegals hate it here so much, and our gubment is so mean to them, why do they stay????

 

Go back home you focking vermin law breakers. Cut ALL aid to illegals and we won't have to deport any of them. They will go back to Messico in droves.

[nospk 230]

I was high at my graduation ceremony.

[lechuza 0]

well done arnold

[Let Da Big Dog Eat 42]

I think as a person who legally immigrated to this country. Arnold gets "it."

[itsbigmoni 1]

When he first announced he was gonna run, i was thinking what a terrible idea. When he won, i couldn't believe how stupid us californians were. Now, i've completely changed my mind. I'm the retard, not everyone who voted for him. He's been a good governor i'd say.